Whiffletree-hook



(No Model.)

W. A. OSBORNE.

WHIFFLETREE HOOK.

No. 358,565. Patented Mar. 1, 1887',

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WILLIAM A. OSBORNE, OF ELK RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

WHIFFLETREE HOOl.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,565, dated March 1, 188?.

Application filed October 16, 1886. Serial No. 216,433. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. OSBORNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elk Rapids, in the county of Antrim and State of Michigan, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Whiffletree-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in whiffletree-hooks; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved whiffletree hook which will connect the rear end of the trace with the extremity of the whiffietree very securely, to prevent the trace from being accidentally detached from the whiffletree and becoming entangled with the animals feet, said hook being very easily and readily connected to and detached from the whiffletree in a moments time.

A further object of my invention is to provide the whiffietreehook with means whereby the trace or tug will be prevented from twisting and kinking, all as more fully described presently.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a whiffletree-hook embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a view showing the device adjusted for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the hook detached, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the body of the whiffletree-hook of my invention, which is preferably curved, as shown, and one end of this body is bent upon itself to provide the arm a, the inner side of which is curved inwardly, as shown. The free end of the body A of the hook is provided with a reduced pin or spindle, b, on which is loosely journaled or fitted a swivel, O, which consists of the parallel sides 0, which are connected at one end by a cross-plate, 0, through which passes the pin or spindle b, to permanently connect the swivel to the body of the hook. The opposite ends of the sides of the swivel are provided with transverse openings 0 which are in line with each other, and through these aligned openings passes a bolt or shaft, (1, that serves to connect the swivel to the tongue (I, which is secured to the front end of a plow-beam, as in Fig. l, or to the end of a whiifietree, as shown in the same figure. A ring or eye, d, is secured to the rear end of the trace D, and this ring engages with the hook A, as shown.

The outer free end of the curved arm a of the whiffletreehook is provided with an inwardly-extended sh oulder or lug, e, and to this lug is pivoted one end of a tongue, E. This tongue E is normally arranged transversely across the space between the free end of the arm a and the body A of the whiflietree-hook, so as to prevent the said hook from being detached from the eye of the whiffietree shown, and it is normally held in this position by means of a spring, F, which I will now proceed to describe.

The pivoted swinging tongue E is provided at or near its middle with a recess or chamber, 6, and in this chamber projects or fits the shoulder or log of the end a of the hook, and the tongue is pivoted to the lug eftlle said end .a by a transverse pin or shaft, 6 so that one end of the tongue will project beyond the outer extremity of the end a, and the opposite end will bear or impinge upon the body A of the hook. The spring F is housed or inclosed within the chamber or recess of the tongue, and it bears against the end a of the body and the inner wall of the chamber of the tongue, so that the latter is normally in contact with the body A at one end to close the space between the body and the end a thereof. The extended end fof the tongue forms a fingeriece a ainst which )ressure is a) lied to p a a 1 I operate the tongue by hand in order to detach the hook from the whii'fletree, and the opposite end,f, of the said tongue is curved or inclined on one side, so that when the hook is to be connected to the eye of the whililetree the said eye will ride upon the curved end of the tongue, to press the inner end,f, thereof inwardly against the tension of the spring, so that the hook can be connected with the eye of the whiffietree without operating the tongue by hand.

The draft and strain from the tug or trace of the hook at the point where the body and thearm a thereof are joined, and when any strain comes upon the tongue of the hook the endf thereof impinges against the body A, and thus relieves the pivot of the said hook from a considerable portion of the strain, thereby rendering the apparatus very strong and durable.

The swivel turns very freely on its spindle to prevent the tug or trace from twisting, and the hook can be rapidly and easily connected to and detached from the eye of the whiflletree.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the whiifletreehook, of the pivoted spring-actuated tongue, arranged as described, and the loosely-connected swivel formed with the parallel sides having the transverse apertures, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the whiffletreehook, of the pivoted spring-actuated tongue, arranged as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. A whiflietreehook comprising a body having an integral arm curved upon itself and provided at its free end with a shoulder or lug, a tongue arranged transversely across the space between the body and its end a, and provided with the recess in which the lug of the end a is fitted and pivoted, the inner end of the said tongue impinging upon the body of the hook and the other end having a thumb-piece, and aspring housed within the recess of the tongue and bearing against the same and the end a of the body, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in ,presence of two witnesses. 

